Nokia Smatphones in Review: The Present and The Future

Mobile World Congress 2018 is just around the corner, and just like last year’s exhibition, where HMD Global announced their first line up of Nokia-branded smartphones running on Google’s Android OS along with the new Nokia 3310, there is a huge possibility that they will launch new mobile phones to cater their growing number of avid consumers. But before we get all excited with these upcoming products, let’s look back and review the current portfolio of Nokia handsets to ensure that we don’t get all lost with the names and numbers from 2017.

NOKIA 6

Making its debut on January 2017 in China, the Nokia 6 was the first Nokia-branded smartphone to exist since the Nokia Lumia 638 in 2014. This device was well-received to the point that it was sold out shortly after being made available to the Chinese smartphone market. The Nokia 6 was then launched globally during MWC 2017, finally making its way to the Philippines and India last June.

Announced in last year’s MWC, the Nokia 3 had attracted a lot of attention especially in the low-cost smartphone markets. This is HMD Global’s main strategy of bringing the Nokia Android experience closer to people without breaking wallets. Along with the Nokia 6, the Nokia 3 was launched in the Philippines and India, which are main markets for low-budget handsets, in June 2017.

The Nokia 3 had brought nostalgia to Lumia fans (particularly those who had the Lumia 925), with its body created with aluminum frame and polycarbonate back. While the end product was a smartphone with appealing aesthetics, HMD Global ensured that the Nokia legacy of durable quality was still embodied in the Nokia 3. Some of its remarkable features include its polarized and sculpted 5-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass, 8MP camera in both front and rear, availability of multiple sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, and NFC), and full Google experience via Android OS.

NOKIA 5

Eye-catching and very noticeable among the Nokia Android collection, the Nokia 5 also made its first appearance in MWC 2017. Sitting perfectly in between the first two smartphones we mentioned above, it is the best option to go for if you can’t really afford getting the Nokia 6. The Nokia 5 was made available in the Philippines and India along with the Nokia 3 and 6 last June as well.

So, what’s makes the Nokia 5 different from other Nokia Android smartphones? First, is its outstanding design. While it was created out of the same 6000 series aluminum, the Nokia 5 does show off a “premium” look that you won’t find on any of its competitors. Unlike the Nokia 6’s blockier design, the Nokia 5 has a well-rounded and smooth finish which is very comfortable in the hands – no doubt the main reason why the said design was adapted to the Nokia 6. Other great features include better imaging capabilities in low light (13MP phase detection auto-focus rear camera with wide aperture and dual tone flash), fully-laminated 5.2-inch HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass, 8MP front camera for clear selfies, regularly updated Android OS (Oreo is coming soon for Nokia 5 and 6!).

NOKIA 8

Just when all hope was lost for a possible high-end Nokia smartphone, HMD Global finally announced the Nokia 8 in London, United Kingdom. It was indeed a long wait (the last high-end Nokia device being the Lumia 930, launched in 2014), but we were not disappointed at all with what the Nokia 8 has to offer when it was revealed last August 2017 and went on sale the following month globally, including here in the Philippines.

Nokia 8 had brought a whole new meaning to the mobile phone experience with its array of innovative features. It is the first Nokia handset to utilize the Dual-Sight camera technology, which allows users to capture stunning images and videos with its 13MP front and rear camera simultaneously. This gave way to an upgrade for selfie which was coined as “Bothie” by Nokia Mobile. The Nokia 8 also pioneers the use of OZO Audio to deliver immersive 360-degree sound experience which complements well to 4K video recording.

You’ll definitely get your money’s worth with the Nokia 8. Aside from Dual-Sight and OZO Audio, most of the features are on the high-end level: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, 64GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, premium phone design crafted out of 6000 series aluminum, and regular OS updates (Android Oreo available starting November 2017 for Nokia 8 users!).

NOKIA 7

Bringing the best of the Nokia 8 with a more affordable price tag is the China-exclusive Nokia 7, launched last October 2017. Yes, this pocketable beauty won’t go out of mainland China’s borders based on the latest information we’ve gathered. While we might not be able to fully experience it, but the Nokia Android lineup won’t be complete without mentioning the Nokia 7.

The Nokia 7 brings a lot of first to the smartphone market. It is the first Nokia device crafted out of 7000 series aluminum and is also a pioneer in using Corning Gorilla Glass to cover the entire phone (front and back) for that smooth, flawless feel and reinforced durability. It is also the first HMD Global handset to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, and the first Nokia midranger to utilize Zeiss Optics, Dual-Sight Camera technology, and Nokia OZO Audio. While we honestly feel bad that the Nokia 7 won’t arrive in Philippines, we are still hoping that HMD Global will bring another smartphone with the same excellent features soon.

NOKIA 2

And last, but surely not the least – the Nokia 2. Launched last October 2017 in India and is expected to arrive in the Philippines around February or March 2018, the Nokia 2 is considered to be the cheapest Nokia-branded smartphone in existence so far with an average retail price of €99 (around PHP 6,100). The main selling point? Its huge battery capacity!

Promoted with the slogan “Live more between charges”, the Nokia 2 boasts a 4,100 mAh battery capacity which promises to give the smartphone energy enough for 2 days. It runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 quad-core processor for a fluid user experience without compromising battery life. The handset was crafted with the same aluminum-polycarbonate combo we’ve seen with the Nokia 3, which combines both durability, quality, and design into one solid and remarkable phone.

2018 – THE FUTURE IS HERE

So, what’s in store for us this year? We’ve recently featured the release of the second-generation variant of the Nokia 6 in China, with the high chances of going global soon. There are also rumors about the Nokia 1 and Nokia 9, but we haven’t heard anything official yet. One thing’s for sure – 2018 is going to be an exciting year for Nokia enthusiasts! Stay tuned as we bring more news about upcoming Nokia smartphones soon!